GB2202898A

GB2202898A - Spring mechanism for the hinge of a motor-vehicle sun visor

Info

Publication number: GB2202898A
Application number: GB08804371A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cebollero Carlos Gabas
Original assignee: Industrias Techno Matic SA
Current assignee: Industrias Techno Matic SA
Priority date: 1987-02-27
Filing date: 1988-02-25
Publication date: 1988-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-25
Also published as: IT8953572V0; IT223895Z2; FR2611355B1; GB2202898B; GB8804371D0; US4841599A; FR2611355A1; DE3805788A1; IT8768144A0; ES1011244Y; JPS63232020A; IT8953572U1; ES1011244U

Description

220989g (V SPRING MECHANISM FOR THE HINGE OF A MOTOR-VEHICLE SUN VISOR The

present invention relates to spring mechanisms for the hinges of motor-vehicle sun visors and to sun visors incorporating such spring mechanisms.

The object of the invention is to provide a new spring mechanism for retaining a motor-vehicle sun visor in a desired position of use which has greater functional efficiency and is easier to assemble than known spring mechanisms for the same purpose.

Accordingly there is provided a spring mechanism for the hinge of a motorvehicle sun visor, which is constituted by a single piece of resilient sheet material of substantially tubular form having a longitudinal curved wall connected at opposite longitudinal edges to two flat parallel walls which extend into two curved wall portions whose free edges define an aperture, the mechanism having at least one retaining tab projecting outwardly therefrom.

In use the spring mechanism is intended to be fitted into the hingerod housing of a sun visor so that the flat surfaces grip the rod which extends axially through the tubular mechanism and the housing. In this position the spring-mechanism aperture cooperates with a projection provided on the inner wall of the housing to prevent relative rotation of the mechanism and the housing while the spring tab engages a recess in the housing wall to oppose relative axial movement.

Preferably the spring mechanism is symmetrical about a longitudinal plane of symmetry through the curved wall and the aperture and has a retaining tab projecting from each of the parallel walls and the curved wall, the tabs diverging symmetrically from the tube in the same direction and at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis thereof.

1 According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a motor- vehicle sun visor having a generally tubular housing for receiving an axial ly-extending hinge rod and incorporating a spring mechanism for gripping the hinge rod to retain the sun visor in a desired angular position of use on the hinge rod, the spring mechanism being constituted by a single piece of resilient sheet material of substantially tubular form having a longitudinal curved wall connected at opposite longitudinal edges to two parallel flat walls which extend into two curved wall portions whose free edges define between them an aperture, the curved wall and wall portions being a close fit in the tubular housing with a longitudinal projection thereof fitted in the said aperture to prevent relative rotation of the spring mechanism and the housing, and the spring mechanism having an outward ly-proj ecting tab which is snap engaged in a recess in the housing wall to restrain the spring mechanism against axial movement in the housing.

One embodiment of the invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the spring mechanism of theinvention taken in the direction of the arrow I in Figure 2; - 3 Figure 2 is an end view taken in the direction of the arrow II in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the spring mechanism situated in its position of use within the hinge housing of a sun visor; and Figure 4 is a side view corresponding to Figure 1 showing the spring mechanism in its position of use within the hinge housing of a sun visor, as in Figure 3, but with the housing partially sectioned to show the spring mechanism.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a spring mechanism, generally indicated R, is formed in a single piece from suitablyresilient sheet material, preferably metal such as spring steel. As is best seen in Figure 2, the spring mechanism R is substantially tubular in shape with a longitudinal plane of symmetry but has a longitudinal aperture bisected by this plane.

More specifically, the spring mechanism R has a curved wall 1 whose longitudinal edges connect to two flat walls 2, 2a parallel to the plane of symmetry and therefore parallel to each other. These in their turn are each connected to a respective curved wall portion 3, 3a whose free edges 6, 6a are separated by a predetermined distance to define the said longitudinal aperture. The curved wall 1 and the two flat walls 2, 2a have respective longitudinally-elongate apertures near one end 4 of the mechanism R with respective tabs 5, 5a, 56 of the spring metal projecting from their edges adjacent the end 4; each tab 5, 5a, 5b extends - 4 across its respective aperture and also diverges slightly from the longitudinal axis of the spring mechanism R. The tabs 5, 5a, 5b are provided to retain the spring mechanism R in the hinge housing of a sun visor as will be described below.

With reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, the end portion of a motor-vehicle sun visor is generally indicated P and incorporates a housing 8 for the hinge rod (not shown) of the visor and also for the spring mechanism R. The housing 8 has a generally-cylindrical portion in which the curved wall 1 and wall portions 3, 3a of the spring R are a close fit and a longitudinal projection 7 which is a close fit between the opposing edges 6, 6a of the wall portions 3, 3a and which prevents the spring R from rotating within the housing 8. The wall of the housing 8 also has a recess 9 which accommodates the divergent tabs 5, 5a, 5b of the spring R.

The spring mechanism R is easily assembled in the housing 8 by being slid axially into the housing from the right hand end, as seen in Figure 4, the tabs 5, 5a, 5b being resiliently depressed into their respective apertures in the walls 1, 2, 2a. When the spring R is fully inserted, its end 4 abuts an end shoulder 9 of the housing 8 and the tabs 5, 5a, 5b spring out into the recess 10 in the housing wall to prevent withdrawal of the spring mechanism R from the housing 8.

In use, the hinge rod of the sun visor is inserted through the throughhole of the spring mechanism R and is gripped resiliently between the two generally-flat walls 2, 2a which can flex apart into the adjacent space in the housing 8 to accommodate the rod, if necessary. The sizing of the hinge rod and the spring R and the resilience of the spring R may be such that even a cylindrical hinge rod is held firmly in any selected angle of inclination of the sun visor when the vehicle incorporating it is travelling over normal road surfaces. When it is envisaged, however, that, by its nature, or for other reasons, the motor-vehicle will travel over uneven ground resulting in a great deal of vibration, a hinge-rod may be used which, instead of being completely cylindrical, has longitudinal flats on its circumferential surface, that is, parallel to generatrices of the cylinder. In this case, the two flat walls 2, 2a of the spring mechanism R are particularly useful for engaging the longitudinal flats on the hinge rod to establish specific angular positions of the vi'sor P which are particularly stable. Indeed, it will be appreciated, that, to pivot the visor on such a rod, the two flat walls 2, 2a will have to be forced apart to pass over the larger-diameter portions of the rod between the flats.

Claims

- 6 CLAIMS

1. A spring mechanism for the hinge of a motor-vehicle sun visor, which is constituted by a single piece of resilient sheet material of substantially tubular form having a longitudinal curved wall connected at opposite longitudinal edges to two flat parallel walls which extend into two curved wall portions whose free edges define an aperture, the mechanism having at least one retaining tab projecting outwardly therefrom.

2. A spring mechanism according to Claim 1, in which the spring tube is symmetrical about a longitudinal plane through the curved wall and the aperture and has a retaining tab projecting from each of the parallel walls and the curved wall, the tabs diverging symmetrically from the tube in the same direction and at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis thereof.

3. A spring mechanism according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, which is made from spring metal.

4. A motor-vehicle sun visor having a generally tubular housing for receiving an axially-extending hinge rod and incorporating a spring mechanism for gripping the hinge rod to retain the sun visor in a desired angular position of use on the hinge rod, the spring mechanism being constituted by a single piece of resilient sheet material of substantially tubular form having a longitudinal curved wall connected at opposite longitudinal edges to two parallel flat walls which extend into two curved wall portions whose free edges define between them an aperture, the curved wall and wall portions being a close fit in the tubular housing with a longitudinal projection thereof fitted in the - 7 said aperture to prevent relative rotation of the spring mechanism and the housing, and the spring mechanism having an outward ly-proj ecting tab which is snap engaged in a recess in the housing wall to restrain the spring mechanism against axial movement in the housing.

5. A motor-vehicle sun visor as claimed in Claim 4, in which the housing is open at one end and the spring mechanism is slidable into the housing from that end with the at least one tab depressed into an aperture in the tubular wall, the tab snap engaging in the housing recess to prevent withdrawal of the spring mechanism from the housing.

6. A spring mechanism for a motor-vehicle sun visor, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

7. A motor-vehicle sun visor incorporating a spring mechanism substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

if Publis 4 1988 it The Patent 0Mce, State House, 66171 B4X Holborn, London WC1R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent 0=0e, cl 19---r- nrr)ingwn- Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent. Con- 1187.

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